87/22. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6898 — Proof, Oaths, and Diya in a Murder Case
Al-Qasama
وَقَالَ الأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «شَاهِدَاكَ أَوْ يَمِينُهُ». وَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ لَمْ يُقِدْ بِهَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، وَكَتَبَ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ إِلَى عَدِيِّ بْنِ أَرْطَاةَ- وَكَانَ أَمَّرَهُ عَلَى الْبَصْرَةِ- فِي قَتِيلٍ وُجِدَ عِنْدَ بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ السَّمَّانِينَ إِنْ وَجَدَ أَصْحَابُهُ بَيِّنَةً، وَإِلاَّ فَلاَ تَظْلِمِ النَّاسَ، فَإِنَّ هَذَا لاَ يُقْضَى فِيهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
Hadith About Qasama and Diya Without Proof
Sahih Bukhari : 6898
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6898
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ بُشَيْرِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، زَعَمَ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يُقَالُ لَهُ سَهْلُ بْنُ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ نَفَرًا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ انْطَلَقُوا إِلَى خَيْبَرَ فَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهَا، وَوَجَدُوا أَحَدَهُمْ قَتِيلاً، وَقَالُوا لِلَّذِي وُجِدَ فِيهِمْ قَتَلْتُمْ صَاحِبَنَا. قَالُوا مَا قَتَلْنَا وَلاَ عَلِمْنَا قَاتِلاً. فَانْطَلَقُوا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ انْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى خَيْبَرَ فَوَجَدْنَا أَحَدَنَا قَتِيلاً. فَقَالَ " الْكُبْرَ الْكُبْرَ ". فَقَالَ لَهُمْ " تَأْتُونَ بِالْبَيِّنَةِ عَلَى مَنْ قَتَلَهُ ". قَالُوا مَا لَنَا بَيِّنَةٌ. قَالَ " فَيَحْلِفُونَ ". قَالُوا لاَ نَرْضَى بِأَيْمَانِ الْيَهُودِ. فَكَرِهَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ يُبْطِلَ دَمَهُ، فَوَدَاهُ مِائَةً مِنْ إِبِلِ الصَّدَقَةِ.
Sahl bin Abi Hathmah Narrated from:
A number of people from his tribe went to Khaibar and dispersed, and then they found one of them murdered. They said to the people with whom the corpse had been found, "You have killed our companion!" Those people said, "Neither have we killed him, nor do we know his killer."The bereaved group went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We went to Khaibar and found one of us murdered." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Let the older among you come forward and speak." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, to them, "Bring your proof against the killer." They said "We have no proof." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then they (the defendants) will take an oath." They said, "We do not accept the oaths of the Jews."Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did not like that the Blood-money of the killed one be lost without compensation, so he paid one-hundred camels out of the camels of Zakat (to the relatives of the deceased) as Diya (Blood-money).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6898In-book reference : Book 87, Hadith 37USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 83, Hadith 36
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6898
This Hadith about Qasama and Diya presents a murder case from Khaibar. A group found one of their people killed and accused the people among whom he was found. The accused denied killing him and denied knowing the killer. The Prophet first told the older among the bereaved group to speak, then asked them to bring proof against the killer. They had no proof. He then mentioned oaths from the defendants, but the bereaved group did not accept those oaths. The Prophet disliked that the blood-money of the killed person be lost, so he paid one hundred camels from the camels of Zakat. For readers searching Qasama hadith, the text highlights proof, oath, and compensation.
What we learn from this hadith
- A murder claim required proof against the killer.
- When proof was missing, the Prophet mentioned oaths from the accused side.
- The Prophet did not like the victim’s blood-money to be lost.
- The case shows careful handling of accusation, denial, and compensation.
